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.Think of it! Virtually unchanged for thousands of years! Now, alas, the Gemelly Circle is our last link with the Celtic language.But to answer your question, yes.I’m sure there’s a connection between the twins and the stones, but it’s of their own making, and that’s what worries me.They’re letting the legend prey on their minds to such an extent that they actually believe it will be fulfilled.”“And what would that involve?”“Presumably releasing the spirits of the Bear Twins from the stones.Insane, isn’t it? And quite frankly, this has been my greatest fear – that some basic instability in the twins might lead to madness.It happened with the Carters.”“With whom?”“There’s another set you mightn’t have heard of.making six in all.Women in their sixties, in a mental home near Carnforth.I know for a fact that the Selbys visit them but I can’t imagine why.There must be a strong reason for them to go to so much trouble.” He glanced at Jason.“Do you remember a programme you once did in which Macbeth prophecies were discussed?”“I do indeed.”“I have a feeling we might be dealing with one here.Eve told me once that the gypsy girl foretold limitless power for the Selbys, ‘over life and death, body and soul’.You can imagine how I, as a minister, felt about that.”“Then it must have been Matthew!” Jason said with satisfaction, and told him about the letter.“I wonder why he wrote, though.An act of bravado or a cry for help? In any event he must have regretted it; he’s made no move to approach me since I arrived.” He looked at his visitor.“So now I know who wrote to me and what the prophecy was.The final, sixty-four thousand dollar question is, did it come true?”Douglas Braithwaite sat forward, hands clasped between his knees.“To a certain extent, yes.Matthew undoubtedly achieves the most phenomenal results with his pupils, to the point where there have been complaints from neighbouring villages about unfair competition.”“And Philip?”“Philip really believes he has power over life and death, and the human brain being what it is, his patients believe it too.There was an instance only the other day.Old John Armitage was terminally ill and the hospital sent him home to die, warning his wife he could linger for months in increasing pain.She said to me quite openly, ‘Well, Vicar, I couldn’t let that happen, could I?’ So she sent for Philip.He simply went into the old man’s room, sat down by the bed and took his hand.John had been delirious for days, but after a minute or two he opened his eyes, looked straight at Philip and said clearly, ‘Thanks, Doctor.’ Then he died.”“Telepathic euthanasia.You think that’s wrong?”Douglas shrugged.“I can only be thankful for John’s sake.Mind you, there’ve been occasions when Philip’s powers haven’t been used so sympathetically.”“But you’d say these powers are based on telepathy?”“Mind control, brainwashing – call it what you will.”Jason hesitated.“We are still speaking of the Selbys?”The other man ran a hand over his face.“No,” he said in a low voice, “I think they all have it to some extent.They can communicate with each other whenever they want.”“You must forgive my ignorance on the subject.I still have the greatest difficulty believing it exists at all.Are you saying that one of them transmits a message and the others receive it?”“Even that isn’t necessary.They share the same psychic field and are automatically aware of the signals.”“My God!”The vicar smiled tiredly.“It’s hard to accept, but I went into it very fully when all this started.Telepathy’s an established fact, though it usually works between only two people at a time.I did try to stop it, but with such total lack of success that I gave up the attempt.I hold myself very much to blame for that weakness.”“Yet even accepting all that – which I confess I can’t – what’s the purpose behind it? The Selbys might be gratifying their lust for power, but what do the others get out of it?”“Whatever it is, it’s taking its toll.Anita is becoming progressively more unstable and the Marshalls had a bad time with their girls a few years ago.If some kind of climax is imminent, it could have a devastating effect on all of them.” He stood up.“I imagine I’ve given you some food for thought.I hope you can make something of it
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